Goodbye....

And so, this too must come to an end. Sometimes it feels like I just got here. But most of the time, fortunately, it feels like I've been here for ages. This longevity has let me live every day to the fullest, and I'm thankful for that.

Words cannot describe the experiences I've had, the people I've met, the things that I've seen.

I've laughed, I've cried. 

I've gotten drunk with strangers and I've gotten drunk alone. 

I've met people from all corners of the earth, listened to their stories, been a part of their lives. 

I've had 4-minute conversations with these people that turned into 4-hour long sessions. 

I've climbed mountains, looked across oceans, crossed vast green fields. 

I've gotten up close and personal with cows, sheep, dolphins, and one seal. 

I've seen the beautiful world that God has created before me, and been brought to tears by its magnficance. 

I've seen landscapes that'll be imprinted on my brain forever, for true beauty never really leaves you. 

I've encountered the immense kindness of strangers and friends alike, opening their homes and lives to me, for nothing in return. 

I' had time to recall my past, think about my present, and contemplate my future. And they all bring a smile to my face. 

I've learnt to breath deep during the tough times, cause they'll pass eventually and you'll be stronger as a result. 

I've learnt to smile during the happy times, cause they too, eventually pass and you'll be sorry you didn't smile at them. 

I am certain I'll be back in Ireland one day, but there are places I've been to that I know I'll never re-visit, and I'll never lose those images and moments.  

Even though most of them will never read this, I'd like to take a minute to thank some people that have been with me throughout the duration of my trip, enhancing and supporting it.

Rosie, Joyce, Sarit, Aliza, Josh, Shane, CJ, Meira, Yosef, Shai, Lee, Chani, Mel, Stef, Arlene, Patricia, John, P, E, Y, and A. 

And most of all to my parents. 2 Jews from the mid-west who gave birth to a girl with half an Irish heart and encouraged her to follow her dreams, even if that meant following them halfway across the world. I love you :) 

Here are just a few of my favorite pictures from my unforgettable trip.

And that's all she wrote. 

Belfast Day Trip and Derry

While in Belfast, I ventured out of the Troubles and into Beauty. The biggest tourist attraction of Northern Ireland in undoubtedly the Giants Causeway, so I took a day trip that visited the site, among others. Our first stop was Carrickfergus, a castle just outside Belfast. Though we didnt step inside, we got a great photo (to be shown below).

We drove the coastal route of Northern Ireland, which is notorious for its breathtaking views, of which I have to see anything rival it.

I have plenty more, but I will stop there :) We stopped at the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, which while only 10 meters long (and 90 meters high), literally connects two islands. I don't have any pictures of me actually crossing, as both hands have to be on the side ropes, but I have this:

The view from the crossed island is absolutely spectacular and well worth the 6 Euro it cost to cross. The sea is the bluest blue, the fields are the greenest green. A view so amazing you could stare at it for hours and not get bored. 

Looking across the ocean on a clear day, you can see all the way to Mull of Kintyre, which is the southwestern most tip of Scotland, made famous by Paul and Linda. 

Hey look, there's me!

Breath-taking, right? I cant even describe what the natural beauty does to a person..... After that, we made a short stop at the Bushmill's Distillery. While Jameson was a much more impressive experience, whiskey anywhere aint bad.

And with that, we were off to the highlight of the day - the Causeway. But first, more scenic views.

The Giants Causeway is a land formation of 40,000 columns of all different sizes, which formed as a result of cooling lava from a nearby volcano that erupted a long, long time ago. It is a humbling sight to see, a true wonder of the world. Some of them are quite tall, while some are only ankle high. They all face the sea, making for a serene and calm setting, despite the enormity of it all.

And with that, our tour was over. Another beautiful day with sights I will not soon forget. 

Belfast has been the most interesting city I've visited in Ireland. The history that still today rings true, made for an experience most of my family and friends will never get, and I am lucky to have visited Belfast and to have really felt the city, for all its good and perhaps not so good. Next, I was off to Derry. Or as you may have heard of it - LondonDerry, depending on which side of the argument you stand :) While Derry was also very badly hit and hurt by the Troubles, it somehow is a more uplifting and happy place. Cant explain why. Which isn't to say they don't have their fair share of murals and memorials. Derry has the only still-standing wall which surrounds the city center, dating back a long time in history. A walk around it is a must, as are the views from up there. 

Then there are those murals that just make me sadder than all the others....

Derry is also the location of the horrible tragedy that is known as Bloody Sunday. A peaceful march in January of 1972 left 14 innocent and unarmed civilians dead, all by the guns of the British army. While it has been contested over and over again that the civilians WERE indeed armed, the final inquiry concluded that they were not armed, many of them being shot in the back. Yet the British maintain their innocence, and no formal apology has ever been made, 

Like I said above, while Derry carries along with it a violent history, the city is filled with hope for the future, something I felt Belfast was lacking..... After Derry, I was off to several smaller towns, making my way to Dublin. While all were great, none were historical.

As promised, Carrickfergus castle.

And a part of what's left of Derry Castle

And with that - poof! - my trip has come to an end. But (hopefully) one final post, tomorrow. 

Belfast

Visiting Belfast was like going back in time to the mid-70's, when the Troubles were at their peak, as the city is still very much divided.
A little back story: when the treaty was signed in 1921, it divided not only Ireland (26 counties) and Northern Ireland (6 counties), but it also divided the nation between those who were were in favor of it (NI), thus continuing to be ruled under the monarch, and those opposed (RoI) to it, who were now a country unto themselves. Back then, the divide was greatly based on religion, Protestant and Catholic, but today it is all about politics. The lines of where exactly the argument began are so blurred, that Irish kids today don't even know that it began as a religious battle.
Belfast, being the largest city in NI, was hit the hardest, outside of the Bloody Sunday massacre, which happened in (London)Derry. Therefore, tensions are still high in the city, the divide still very much felt in the streets. Flags line every corner, marking territory. The residential city is VERY much split between the two sides, with the tri-colored Irish flag and the Union Jack flying in each respective side.
Now, I had the great fortune to be staying at a friend's house, rather than in a hotel / hostel in the city center. This entirely allowed me to view the strife from the inside, albeit from one biased side. Living with a Catholic family for 10 days gave me the insight to just how real the tensions are still present.  The girl I stayed by, Arlene, told me she and her family would never go to the other (loyalist) side, for fear of being recognized. To me, it just seemed ludicrous that the two sides don't stray into each other's neighborhoods. I guess the only 'neutral' place was town, though Arlene told me she could spot one from a mile away.
The city even went so far as to erect a 'peace wall' dividing the areas to keep order, with a gate that still today closes at night. Insane.

But aside from alllllll that, Belfast is a very interesting city with rich history and lots to see. I had a fantastic time walking the city, climbing surrounding mountains, and even ventured to the Jewish side for shabbas. The city has one shul, and they get 10 men most of the time, though the rabbi is the only shomer shabbat male in the whole city. He and his wife are very hospitable and made me feel Jewish amongst a city of Catholics.

Belfast is quite famous for their murals, seen on both side of the story, which depict the Troubles and the fight for freedom on the Republic side, and the love of the Queen on the loyalist side. They tend to stay away from the politics of it all. Though I myself lean towards the Irish side, they are the side that are pro-Palestinian, siding with those who feel occupied. This is visible in some of their murals. I only told 3 people (besides my hosts) there that I was from Israel, and all 3 asked me if I was from Israel or Palestine. I felt sorry for the ignorance of the citizens, and fearful that this is what the rest of the world knows to be true.

Here are some murals from both sides.

While the murals are a sign of the ever-present divide, they are still so very striking and grand. Less grand are the dozens of roadside memorials lining almost every main street, showing where bombs went off, or where people were stabbed during the Troubles, the most recent being not so very long ago. 

Some other sights from around the town.

Beautiful City Hall from the outside and inside

Belfast is also very Titanic-happy, as the ill fated ship was built there. There is a commanding and impressive Titanic museum and building in the shipyards where it was built.

A section of the Peace Wall.

Queens University

From inside the Ulster Museum

Though Belfast is a noticeably depressing city, I had a great time. My hosts treated me as family, I got to take many interesting hikes, and I could say I've been somewhere and experienced something most people I know, haven't. Just being in Belfast broadened my mind to a part of the world I knew nothing about, only enhancing my love and understanding for Ireland as a whole.

Belfast Castle. Though small compared to other castles, the grounds were impressive. I was only saddened to know that all the original stones and interior rooms were renovated to make the castle more commercial, as it is mostly used for weddings, today. I much prefer the old, authentic ones.